Undergraduate Department of Accounting
College of Business
Website: https://business.fsu.edu/departments/accounting
Chair: Allen Blay; Assistant Chair: Holly Sudano; Professors: Billings, Blay, Bozanic, Fennema, Gerard, Morton, Paterson; Associate Professors: Keskek, Mauler, Newton, Pierce, Reynolds, Romney, Zhang, Zimmerman; Assistant Professors: Ehinger; Senior Lecturers: Sudano; Associate Lecturers: Adams, Polinski; Assistant Lecturers: McCoy, Wilson, Winrow; Arthur Andersen Professor: Fennema; Carl DeSantis Associate Professor of Business Administration: Newton; Deloitte Professor: Paterson; Denise Dickins Fellow in Accounting: Keskek; EY Professor: Blay; Jim Moran Associate Professor of Business Administration: Pierce; KPMG Professor: Billings; Julian V. Smith Family Professor of Business Administration: Morton; William Hillison Professor: Bozanic
The Department of Accounting is committed to providing students the general education and technical knowledge necessary to enter the accounting profession and to pursue a successful professional career. The field of accounting offers challenging and rewarding opportunities in public accounting, tax accounting, consulting, industry, government, and not-for-profit organizations.
Prospective accountants must be prepared to work in an increasingly complex environment. In addition to accounting knowledge, the successful accountant must possess a broad knowledge of business and an analytical mindset. Other essential skills include the ability to communicate well verbally and in writing, work well with and motivate others, organize and manage tasks and other people, and use sound professional judgment.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) or the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in accounting provides students with the knowledge of basic accounting concepts, accounting applications, and the related functional areas of business necessary for a successful accounting career in industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. Students preparing for a professional career in public accounting or tax accounting, and others who wish to obtain more advanced and specialized knowledge in the field of accounting, should also plan to complete the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program. The Master of Accounting program provides students with exposure to advanced theories and topics in the field of accounting. It offers an opportunity to pursue specialized interests and a broader knowledge of the accounting discipline in general. Completion of the BS program fulfills all educational requirements to sit for the CPA examination in the state of Florida and many other jurisdictions. Completion of the MAcc program satisfies the educational requirements to be licensed in the state of Florida and many other jurisdictions. In the MAcc program, students select a particular focus area from the three program options: Assurance and Advisory Services, Accounting–Generalist, and Taxation. The department also offers a combined BS/MAcc pathway that allows highly qualified undergraduate students the opportunity to accelerate their coursework and take up to nine semester hours of graduate coursework, which may be counted toward both the BS and MAcc degrees. A detailed description of the MAcc program can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.
Digital Literacy Requirement
Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:
- Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
- Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
- Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
- Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
- Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
- Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically
Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement.
Undergraduate majors in accounting satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in CGS 2100 (state mandated business prerequisite requirement) or CGS 2518.
Note: CGS 2518 is required for students in the Accounting Major and is a prerequisite for ACG 4401.
Required Risk in Business and Society Course
All undergraduates at Florida State University intending to enter a business major should complete RMI 2302, Risk in Business and Society, with a “C–” or better by the end of their sophomore year, but no later than their fifth mapping term.
Required Professional Development Course
All undergraduates entering Florida State University in Fall 2019 and later must complete a one-credit course in professional development, GEB 1030, with a “C–” or better by the end of their fifth mapping term. However, students are encouraged to complete the course by the end of their sophomore year to take full advantage of the material.
State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Accounting
The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.
FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Accounting. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/120/217.
Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites but may not be admitted into the program.
Requirements for a Major in Accounting
All students must complete: (1) the University-wide baccalaureate degree requirements summarized in the “Undergraduate Degree Requirements” chapter of this General Bulletin; (2) the state of Florida common prerequisites for accounting majors; (3) the general business core requirements for accounting majors; (4) the general business breadth requirements for accounting majors; and (5) the major area requirements for accounting majors.
Students must be admitted to the major no later than the end of their fifth mapping term, as determined by the College of Business.
Note: To be eligible to pursue an accounting major, students must meet the admission requirements for the AACSB accredited business programs in the College of Business. These admission requirements are described in the “College of Business” chapter of this General Bulletin.
General Business Core Requirements
All accounting majors must complete the following five courses. A grade of “C–” or better must be earned in each course.
FIN 3403 Financial Management of the Firm (3)
GEB 3213 Business Communications (3)
ISM 3541 Introduction to Business Analytics (3)
MAN 3240 Organizational Behavior (3)
MAR 3023 Basic Marketing Concepts (3)
General Business Breadth
All accounting majors must complete the two courses as follows. Each course must be completed with a grade of “C–” or better.
FIN 3244 Financial Markets, Institutions, and International Finance Systems (3)
QMB 3200 Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions (3)
Capstone Course
All accounting majors must complete the capstone class in Strategic Management and Business Policy (MAN 4720) with a “C–” or better.
Major Area Requirements
All accounting majors must complete the nine courses listed below.
To enroll in the required upper-level accounting courses (those with ACG and TAX prefixes), students must have completed ACG 2021, Introduction to Financial Accounting and ACG 2071, Introduction to Managerial Accounting, with a grade of “B” or better (“B–” is not acceptable). Students must also pass an Accounting Competency examination with a grade of 70% or better. For students in the FSU ACG 2021 class, the Accounting Competency material is embedded in the course as a final exam. Students transferring ACG 2021 (or its acceptable equivalent) from another university must register for the FSU Accounting Competency Exam. Students not receiving a 70% or better on the competency exam will be permitted to enroll in ACG 2021 at FSU. A grade of “C” or better (“C–” is not acceptable) in ACG 3101 is required to enroll in ACG 3111 or any 4000 level ACG or TAX course. A grade of “C–” or better must be earned in all other required upper-level courses. Any student not successful in obtaining the minimum passing grade within two attempts will not be permitted to enroll in that upper-level accounting course again.
ACG 3101 Financial Accounting and Reporting I (3)
ACG 3111 Financial Accounting and Reporting II (3)
ACG 3341 Cost Accounting (3)
ACG 4201 Financial Accounting and Reporting III (3)
ACG 4401 Accounting Information Systems (3)
ACG 4632 Auditing Theory and Application I (3)
BUL 3351 U.C.C. and Law for Accountancy (3)
TAX 4001 Federal Tax Accounting I (3)
TAX 4011 Federal Tax Accounting II (3)
Honors in the Major
The Department of Accounting offers honors in the major to encourage talented students to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information see the “University Honors Office and Honor Societies” chapter of this General Bulletin.
Definition of Prefixes
ACG—Accounting
BUL—Business Law
CGS—Computer General Studies
GEB—General Business
TAX—Taxation
Undergraduate Courses
To register for any accounting course, students must have completed all prerequisite courses with appropriate grades.
ACG 2021. Introduction to Financial Accounting (3). This course offers an introduction to financial accounting concepts, placing emphasis on financial statements and how they reflect business transactions. Please note, Accounting Majors must earn at least a “B” in this course to proceed to required 3000 level accounting courses.
ACG 2071. Introduction to Managerial Accounting (3). Prerequisite: ACG 2021 with a grade of “C–” or better. This course offers an introduction to managerial accounting concepts. Please note, Accounting majors must earn at least a “B” in this course to proceed to required 3000 level accounting courses.
ACG 3101. Financial Accounting and Reporting I (3). Prerequisites: ACG 2021 and ACG 2071 with a grade of “B” or better; students must also receive a grade of 70% or higher on FSU's ACG 2021 final exam or complete a competency exam with a score of 70% or higher. This course offers an in-depth study of financial-reporting concepts and generally accepted practice, including an overview of the accounting-cycle assets and noncurrent assets. Emphasis is placed on analyzing financial events and the consequences of financial-reporting alternatives.
ACG 3111. Financial Accounting and Reporting II (3). Prerequisite: ACG 3101 with a grade of “C” or better. This course offers an in-depth study of financial-reporting concepts and generally accepted practice for long-term liabilities, leases, pensions, income taxes, and stockholder equity and earnings per share. Emphasis is placed on analyzing financial events and the consequences of financial-reporting alternatives on financial statements.
ACG 3171. Analysis of Financial Statement Presentation (3). Prerequisite: ACG 2021 with a grade of “C–” or better. This course is intended to provide students with the tools needed to evaluate the content of financial statements and accompanying disclosures. This is achieved by developing an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and their application.
ACG 3331. Cost Accounting and Analysis for Business Decisions (3). Prerequisite: ACG 2071 with a grade of “C–” or better. This course studies techniques of cost accounting and cost analysis for various business decisions. Credit not allowed for accounting majors.
ACG 3341. Cost Accounting (3). Prerequisites: ACG 2071 and ACG 2071 with a grade of “B” or better; FSU's ACG 2021 final exam with a grade of 70% or higher or complete a competency exam with a score of 70% or higher; QMB 3200 completed with a “C-” or higher or taken as a corequisite. This course covers the planning and control of economic entities through cost-volume-profit relationships, job order, as well as process and standard cost accounting. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between accounting systems and decision making.
ACG 4201. Financial Accounting and Reporting III (3). Prerequisite: ACG 3111 with a grade of “C–” or better. This course offers an in-depth study of financial reporting concepts and generally accepted practice for investments, business combinations, consolidated enterprises, foreign operations, and the statement of cash flows. Emphasis is placed on analyzing financial events and the consequences of financial reporting alternatives.
ACG 4401. Accounting Information Systems (3). Prerequisites: ACG 3101 with a grade of “C” or better and CGS 2518. This course is an introduction to manual and computerized accounting information systems. Transaction cycles, internal controls, and flowcharting are emphasized.
ACG 4632. Auditing Theory and Application I (3). Prerequisites: ACG 3111 and ACG 4401 with grades of “C–” or better. This course covers legal and professional responsibility of CPAs; generally accepted auditing standards; audit programs, procedures, and evidence; review and evaluation of internal controls.
ACG 4642. Auditing Theory and Application II (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4632 with a grade of “C-” or better. This course covers theory of auditing and development of audit programs; sampling; procedures of obtaining audit evidence; auditor responsibility under Securities and Exchange Commission requirements; and auditing computerized systems. Subsequent credit for ACG 5635 is not permitted.
ACG 4901r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). May be repeated to a maximum of five semester hours.
ACG 4930r. Special Topics in Accounting (1–3). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. This course content varies to provide an opportunity to study current issues in accounting and topics not offered in other courses. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours as content changes.
ACG 4941. Accounting Internship (3). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: ACG 4632 and TAX 4001. This accounting internship is designed for College of Business students who desire to gain real-world experience in the accounting field through on-the-job practice. Students work under the direction of an approved industry professional, a faculty advisor, and the internship director.
ACG 4970r. Honors in the Major Research (1–6). Prerequisite: Admission to the honors program. Six credit hours of thesis are required to complete honors in the major. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve credit hours.
CGS 2518. Spreadsheets for Business Environments (3). This course provides an in-depth study of spreadsheets utilizing a problem-solving approach. Spreadsheet-based solutions are explored for common business tasks and problems. The course presents a thorough coverage of spreadsheet functions and tools, along with a deep understanding of their purpose in a business environment. The course is ideal for students with professional interests related to business and economics, as well as for students wishing to obtain a deeper understanding of spreadsheets in general.
GEB 3934. Business and Professional Development (3). (S/U grade only.) This course provides students with the “soft skills” critical for success in the business world. Students spend time on campus during the spring semester studying a variety of topics to help facilitate the transition from college life to the professional world. During spring break, students travel abroad to gain a global perspective of the business world.
TAX 4001. Federal Tax Accounting I (3). Prerequisite: ACG 3101 with a grade of “C” or better. This course covers concepts and methods of determining income of individuals for tax purposes, as well as the interpretation of Internal Revenue Code, related regulations, and tax advisory services.
TAX 4011. Federal Tax Accounting II (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001 with a grade of “C–” or better. This course covers concepts and methods of determining income of corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts for tax purposes, as well as the interpretation of Internal Revenue Code, related regulations, and tax advisory services. Subsequent credit for TAX 5015 is not permitted.
For listings relating to graduate coursework, consult the Graduate Bulletin.